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Bachelor of Science in Nursing Research Guide

A research guide to find BSN resources from the EFSC Libraries

Video: How to Read a Scientific Article

This video from the USU Libraries gives you tips on how to break down scientific articles into easy to read sections. (2:11) Creative Commons Attribution license (reuse allowed) https://youtu.be/Fm6pdg3uAPA 

How to evaluate a research article

Not all research is good research. It's very important to critically evaluate the evidence you find. Consider the following when reviewing an article:

  • What is the article about?

    • Is this article relevant for your research paper topic?
    • Is the article qualitative OR quantitative research?
  • What is the purpose of the study?

    • Does this research add to the literature? Is it a bigger, longer, more substantial study?
    • Is the hypothesis clearly stated?
    • Does the article include a literature review and cover related studies?
  • How are the study methods described?

    • Who was studied? Age, sex, ethnicity?
    • Who was not studied?
    • What size was the population studied? (ex. N value)
    • How was the population studied? In a clinical or real setting?
    • How long was the study?
    • What materials were studied? (i.e. drugs or devices)
    • Who funded the study?
    • What type of study was conducted?
  • How are the study results described?

    • Do the results include statistical analysis?
    • Are all results discussed, including unexpected results?
    • Can the results be applied outside this study?